Twelve major retailers including ASDA, B & Q and Boots, along with 490 independent shops, have agreed to publicise and support the issue in their stores.
Environment Secretary, Richard Lochhead, who launched the campaign, said: “Millions of shoppers taking a small step can lead to a big change. The beauty of this campaign is that everyone who shops – literally all of Scotland – can be engaged in sustainable behaviour.
“The consumer will also be the ultimate beneficiary of a reduction in bag use through this campaign, with local authority waste management costs being reduced.
“Taking a small step like reusing a carrier bag will encourage people to make other changes to their behaviours and ensure that collectively we are making a big difference locally, nationally and globally.”
Many retailers in the UK have signed a voluntary agreement to reduce the number of bags given out by 50% by the end of May 2009. Mr Lochhead said the campaign would help retailers in Scotland to meet this target.
The scheme focuses on both single-use plastic shopping bags and bags made from other materials, such as paper.
Fiona Moriarty, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: “Working with their customers, retailers have already delivered some spectacular reductions in the numbers of new bags handed out – down by a quarter in just two years. They are now going further, faster with a commitment to a 50 per cent reduction by June this year.
“Ideas including taking bags off display and reducing the amount of new plastic in bags are part of that but so is encouraging customers to change their behaviour. That's why stores are offering durable carrier bags for life, tips and incentives and working with the Government to get more customers re-using bags.
“This campaign is a positive example of the Scottish Government and retail businesses working together to achieve the environmental gains we all want,” she added.
Last month, the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) released figures showing that the UK had reduced the number of bags in use by 26% since 2006 (see letsrecycle.com story).
The Scottish Climate Change Bill, which was introduced in December last year, includes a provision which will allow Scottish ministers to create legislation requiring retailers to charge for bags if voluntary targets are not met.
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